At a glance

A survey by Adepteq reveals that SharePoint users are prioritising search, findability, and user confidence, with 38% experiencing findability challenges frequently. The research indicates that organisations may need to shift focus from adoption to enhancing user experience by improving information organisation and discovery. This shift is crucial as organisations continue investing in digital workplaces and Microsoft 365 technologies.

Adepteq survey suggests search, findability and user confidence are emerging priorities for SharePoint users 

LONDON, UK - New research from Adepteq suggests that for many SharePoint users, the challenge may no longer be getting people to use the platform but helping them find the information they need once they’re there. 

In Adepteq’s SharePoint User Experience Report, based on feedback from 110 SharePoint users, respondents reported high levels of day-to-day usage alongside ongoing challenges around search, information discovery and confidence in locating content. 

According to the survey: 

• 81% of respondents use SharePoint daily 

• 38% experience findability challenges weekly or daily 

• 36% say better search would have the biggest impact on their user experience 

• 60% describe themselves as confident SharePoint users 

• 68% trust that documents are stored correctly 

• 95% identified at least one workplace benefit from an improved SharePoint experience 

While the findings do not represent the experiences of all SharePoint users, they suggest that organisations may be moving beyond adoption-focused initiatives and towards improving the quality of the overall user experience. 

From Adoption to Experience 

For many organisations, SharePoint projects have traditionally focused on adoption through migrations, intranet deployments, governance frameworks and user training. 

Adepteq’s research suggests that, for some users, the next opportunity may lie in improving how information is organised, surfaced and discovered. 

The survey found that respondents were generally positive about SharePoint’s role in supporting collaboration and document management, but challenges around locating information remained a recurring theme. 

As organisations continue to invest in digital workplaces and Microsoft 365 technologies, the findings raise an important question: how should success be measured once adoption has been achieved? 

“Many organisations have worked hard to encourage adoption and improve engagement with SharePoint,” said Phil Cave, Technical & Digital Transformation Director at Adepteq.

“Our survey suggests that usage alone may not tell the whole story. Respondents highlighted search, findability and confidence as areas where improvements could make a meaningful difference to their day-to-day experience. While this is a relatively small sample, the findings may provide a useful benchmark for organisations reviewing their own SharePoint environments.” 

A Starting Point for Digital Workplace Conversations 

The research aims to contribute to ongoing discussions about the evolving role of SharePoint within modern organisations. 

The report examines how users perceive search, navigation, document management and training, offering insights for IT leaders, intranet managers and digital workplace teams seeking to enhance the user experience. 

The findings suggest that while adoption remains important, organisations may also benefit from examining how easily employees can find, trust, and use the information available to them.

Editorial insight

This latest research points to a shift in focus for organisations using SharePoint, with attention moving from simply driving adoption to improving the quality of the user experience. For IT leaders and digital workplace managers, the findings highlight the practical challenges that can arise even after successful platform rollouts, particularly around search and information discovery.

As many businesses continue to rely on Microsoft 365 tools to support collaboration and document management, the survey results may prompt a closer look at how effectively employees can access and trust the information they need. While the sample size is limited, the reported issues around findability and user confidence could serve as a useful reference for those looking to benchmark or review their own SharePoint environments.

Story ideas and journalist angles

Industry trend

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